Fall is here, and my summer blooms are beginning to thin out, leaving my front door looking rather in the raw. In other words - naked.

Before owning a home, I had never given much attention to the front door. Perhaps I subconsciously thought that wreathes, elaborate doorknockers, and topiaries were just afterthoughts. The truth is though that these simple portals are often used to express the lifestyles, personalities, and even the passions of the people living behind them. ​

That may explain a new trend that is taking the internet by storm; that of taking photographs of beautiful entryways. It's called "Doortraits". People from all over the world are sharing their door fascination via Instagram. A simple search of the hashtag #doortraits will yield more than 38,000 posts. Whoa! With that kind of activity, there is certainly no shortage of inspiration.

This week's muse came about as I was looking for ways to spruce up my front door. If you're on the same mission, here are a few examples to spike your creativity.

This photo shows that sprucing up the front door need not be elaborate. A simple tree, thoughtfully placed garden tools, and an elegant light fixture are all that are needed. I imagine that the folks who live here are people-oriented, warm, and unpretentious. And I love how the boots give a subtle hint to visitors to remove their shoes before entering.

A series of ball topiaries lined up in sleek planter boxes give this classic black entry door symmetry and elegance. And the tiled floor just outside the door provides the appearance of a rug without actually using one. Maybe the family that live here is also traditional and well balanced.

Perhaps the bench shown here is a kind gester to have a seat and catch your breath after climbing all those stairs! Whatever the interpretation, I absolutely love the large lights flanking each side of the door, and the clever placement of the home address numbers.

By the way, did you know that yellow is the most visible color of the spectrum? Interpretations of its meaning are "friendship", "optimism" or "caution. Which of these do you think the homeowner wishes to convey?